Years of Breeding Ruined Popular Dog Breeds

In this video, we will discuss how years of selective breeding and human influence have drastically changed and damaged some of the most popular dog breeds.

The Pug
The Pug has been selectively bred to feature an extremely flat face and curly tail.
Pugs’ pushed-in face makes them susceptible to breathing difficulties, low oxygen levels, overheating and dental problems.
Pugs’ desirable double-curl tail is actually a genetic defect that results from their spinal deformity. It often causes back pain.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Years of breeding for a prettier head has resulted in too small of a skull in Cavaliers.
This means their skull is too small for their brain. As a result, their brain squeezes through the opening leading to the spinal cord, causing pain and sometimes facial nerve paralysis.
The bull terrier
The Bull Terrier's head have transformed drastically over the years due to serious impaired breeding.
In the past, the bull terrier had a slim torso and well-proportioned head.
But modern bull terriers have an egg-shaped head and thick body. Because of their unnatural head shape, they suffer from dental problems as they have too many teeth in their enlarged jaws. These dogs also picked up mental deficiencies such as a habit of compulsively chasing their tails.
Dachshund
Dachshunds were originally used to hunt rabbits, foxes and other tunneling animals.
Thanks to altered breeding, their back has stretched out and their legs have shrunk to a point where they can hardly maneuver over obstacles a few inches off of the ground.
These changes have made Dachshunds at huge risk of intervertebral disc disease and spinal damage which can lead to paralysis.
English bulldog
Today, Bulldogs’ unnatural proportions make them incapable of mating or giving birth without medical intervention.
These dogs also suffer from overheating and breathing problems because of their pushed-in face.
Boxer
Earlier in their existence, Boxers had pointy ears and long snouts. But today, they have floppy ears, and flatter noses that are more compact.
Their shortened snout is a cause of some serious breathing problems.
Modern Boxers also have more flesh in their mouths so they don't pant as efficiently. This means they overheat more quickly.
Poodles
Originally, the Poodle was considered a water-retriever, meaning they were used to retrieve water-birds and ducks for hunters, mainly because they had a water-resistant coat. Poodles had long, stranded coats that almost resembled braids.
However, years of selective breeding has drastically changed the shape and texture of their fur.
Today’s Poodles suffer from a skin disease called Sebaceous adenitis.
Loss of fur, scaly patches, and itching to the extent of pulling out hair are common problems for many poodles.
German Shepherd
Before evolving to fit modern standards, the German Shepherd was considered to be a medium-sized dog with strong legs, a deep chest and straight back.
Today, the German Shepherd is much heavier, and features a back that slopes drastically, making them prone to hip dysplasia — a condition where the leg bones don’t fit properly into the hip socket.
The Basset Hound
Researchers have determined that the Basset Hound's short legs are a result of an extra copy of a certain gene, which produces growth protein.
Prior to this genetic mutation, the Basset Hounds had smaller ears and a less droopy face.
Unfortunately, these changes have made the breed suspectable to many health problems. Their excessive skin can lead to dermatitis in the skin folds. Their droopy eyes are prone to serious eye problems, and their short legs can cause spinal problems.
The St. Bernard
St. Bernards were originally used to rescue lost travelers buried by snowstorms and avalanches.
today’s St. Bernards have bigger skulls and a more squished-in face and longer fur.
They now suffer from a variety of health issues such as overheating and entropion, a condition in which the eyelid is rolled inward against the eyeball.
The Bearded Collie
Modern Bearded Collies are shorter and much stockier than they used to be. Many Bearded Collies are prone to skin allergies.
The White Terrier
After years of genetic alteration, today’s White Terrier is not nearly as athletic as its ancestors. Their coat has become longer and their legs have been stunted. This has made them very susceptible to luxating patella, a condition in which the knee cap moves out of its natural position.
Chow Chow
It is believed that the Chow Chow dates back to 206 BC of the ancient China because of the similarities found in Chinese potteries.
However, today’s Chow Chows developed a drastically dense coat and excessive skin, which results in reduced peripheral vision, and sometimes, skin allergies and coat issues
Salukis
Salukis originated in the Middle-East.
Archeologists have even uncovered mummified Salukis in ancient Egyptian tombs. The Saluki is now suspectable to heart defects and certain eye problems.

[tylerblack]

The fact that most of these changes cause severe breathing problems, spinal issues and various skin diseases just to be *aesthetically* pleasing to us is truly heartbreaking

[pams]

If I'm being honest a lot of the dogs looked better before they were bred to have a certain look

[KFrost-fxdt]

We need a strong movement of "back breeding" to make them healthy again. It's been done with horses.

[dead_accounttt]

Personally, I think the older generations of all these breeds are cuter. And, they were healthier, more athletic, and more helpful. So— the breeding seems to have made these dogs more unhealthy than they were before.

[bluthechirpingmissile]

Breeders: Do you have spinel problems?
Dogs: no
Breeders: would you like too?

[TheWorgenGamer]

the old photos of these dogs look amazing and i don't understand how not being able to breath right is cute, how spinal problems and pain is cute, and how more fur and shorter legs are cute.

[bballplaya]

It’s ironic that so called “animal lovers” are the ones that bread these dogs into a miserable existence full of Heath issues for cuteness sake.

[JessG_]

My first dog I owned as a child was a purebred Samoyed. My mom bought her for me because she'd also owned a Samoyed as a kid and wanted another one. I was very excited to get my puppy because I'd looked at the pictures in the Samoyed book that my mom had kept for years, which was probably published in the 70s or 80s. All the dogs in that book looked like fluffy white wolves. Wolves are my fav animal so of coarse I was thrilled to be getting a dog that looked similar. Our Samoyed grew up to have a wolfy looking face but her stature was not quite like the ones in my mom's book. She was a wonderful dog and I had her until she got old and developed cancer and I had to put her to sleep. She always had some chronic health issues.

I realized as I got older how much overbreeding was taking place even with Samoyeds. Rather than resemble a fluffy white wolf or look similar to a white husky, most of them have started looking very teddy bear ish - Shorter legs, bigger eyes, shorter snouts, rounder ears, etc. They no longer look like a dog bred for athetecism and endurance and sled pulling. Instead, so many of them today are starting to look similar to what Chows have become (another totally ruined breed)

[kananis]

Humans: pugs are lazy and don’t like exercising
Pugs: your the one who made me have a harder time breathing

[Meehis]

This is a great list of breeds you shouldn't buy until breeders start to care about the health of these dogs, and not just money and aesthetics.

[kennikitty]

This is a weird list... it starts with one of the most "broken" dogs of all: the pug at no. 14 und somewhere at no 7 or something there's one of the healthiest purebred dogs, the poodle. Honestly, I'm a vet nurse, poodle are, generally speaking, a very healthy breed.
Rule of thumb: the extreamer a dogs features are, the more problems occur. Some of the worst breeds are French and English Bulldogs and Pugs. Like... for real, don't get them. These dogs suffer their entire life. It blows my mind we're still allowed to breed so many dogs that obviously suffer for bizarre beauty standards.

[chimkens]

I could never quite figure out what breed my terrier mutt was, and now I realize he looks very similar to the comparatively "original" breed of westie
edit: also, he always gets a lot of attention when we're outside, so that goes to show that selectively breeding for aesthetics doesn't necessarily mean you get an objectively cuter dog

[theshockinglyeloquentdog]

"they don't realize" that's giving way too much credit to breeders. they know exactly what they're doing to those animals

[tinkerbrittany]

My dad used to breed cocker spaniels when he was younger and I remember them being muscular and having a pointed snout. They were larger, more athletic, and intelligent. My friend just adopted a purebred cocker and it looked so different. It lacked muscle definition, his snout is short and curved, and he has trouble breathing after playing. It’s sad how much thirty years of poor “fashion” breeding can do to a breed.

[MajimeTV]

I've been preaching this for years. It's not normal for a dog's eyes to randomly pop out, like with the Pugs

[mintmoon]

I'm a dog groomer and just about every bulldog i do makes me want to cry when i groom them. They're so horribly shaped and have the worst skin. There was one thats legs were uneven, her anus was where her tail should be and she couldn't hold her head straight because she would stop breathing. They bred her with her brother. When i asked why, they said 'the gene pool is so small it won't make a difference.' Wanted to punch their face in. It's not the only time I've seen siblings being bred either.

[joshuaearp]

Stop overbreeding. All of these original dogs are gorgeous and it seems healthier. Sad.

[MexicanRmz]

Its really sad how all of this dogs had a job, a purpose, and that their instincts still tell them they should do their job, but their humans don't even want them to touch dirt nowdays ....

[isabella]

The old dogs in all the black and white photos look so much better

[Apoc_Bone_Daddy]

The older version of the Chow Chow is so much cuter than the current version

So cute